Label-affixing machine.



Ha K. EASYMAN C. GENTEL.

LABEL AFlxlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY18.I98.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEEf 1 H. K. EASTIVIAN 6L C. GENTEL.

LABEL AFFIXNYG MACHINE.

APPLICATION IFILED 51m18.191s.

Patented Feb. i8, 19.19.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. K. EASIIVIAN 6L C. GENTEL.

LABEL' AFFIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY18. 1918.

LQQyII Patentd Feb. 18, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

TED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

'HENRY KEYES EAsTi/LAN AND CHARLES GENTEE, OE BROOKLYN, NEWYORK, Assis-N- ORs To THE HILLs BROTHERS COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

LABEL-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

Application filed May 18, 1918; Serial No. 235.229.

to which it appertains to make and use the same.v

This invention relates to label aiiixers and is directed particularly to the provision of apparatus for aifixing labels about the curved surfaces of containers which are of a generally cylindrical form.

Various forms O-f label `ailixing machines have been in common use for many years past in afliXing labels to the peripheries of cylindrical containers, as for instance, the

atlixing of labelsto cylindrical cans containing vegetables. such a machine involves a traveling belt A common form of upon which the labels 'are carried, pasteapplying apparatus for applying paste to more or less of the surface of the label and means for rolling a can over the pasted label to pick up the label and apply it about` the cylindrical surface of the can.

A form of container which for some few years past has been in very general use consists of a tube o-f cardboard and circular end caps provided with integral flanges adapted to take over the ends ofthe cardboard tube. When a label is applied to such a container completely encircling the cylindrical surface of the container and Overlapping. at its edges the flanges of the end caps, the container is sufficiently air and moistureproof to maintain a food or other product in proper condition for a considerable period of time. The advantages of this form of container have led to` its use on a large scale but its use has always been accompanied by diiiiculty and relatively high expense in the application of the labels to the containers. the forms of labeling machines heretofore commonly employed in applying labels to tin cans are not suitable for this vuse for the reason that the flanges on the end caps of the container project slightly beyond the surface of the cylindrical tube,fthis slight projection of theilanges beingsuftcient to prevent proper application of the label to the container over the entire width of the label by the forms of apparatus heretofore commonly employed fori similar purposes. Accordingly5 the afXingC-ofylabels to the cylindrical surfaces offpapercontainers of the type above referredfto" has heretofore been a manual operation" involving excessive cost. y

The present invention is directed to the provision of a label afixing apparatus adapted particularly for affixing labels to cylindrical containers whose cylindrical surface 'is not entirely free from `ridges or flanges over the area to be covered by the label.

The invention involves the provision of feeding devices for feeding the containers into the label-afixing position successively, means for gripping each container while it is in this position at its ends by gripping deviceswhich do not overlap the area to be covered by the label, means for rotating the container while it is so held by the gripping devices to pick upa pasted label and wind the label about the container, and a pressure roller `held in con-tact with the container to press the label against the surface of the container, the roller bein made of a soft material which yields su ciently to assure proper application of the label Ito the surface of the container both over the portion thereof which is of cylindrical form 'and also `over the flanges of the endcaps. Preferably the labels are carried to the gripping devices by a belt upon which they are laid successively and which may be employed to carry the labels into co-action with a suitable paste-applying mechanism. The belt carrying `the labels is preferably fed forward in conjunction with the rotation of the container to which the label is to be applied and at a speed corresponding to the rotation of the container, and the relation of the parts may be such as to cause the belt to` assist in pressing the label mponthe Cjflildll surface of thecontainer.` Also,

after the-label, has'been applied to the container the movement of the belt Inaycarry thellabeled container away from the aiiX- ing position, or if desired some other or additional means foreflecting the discharge fof the labeled containers may be employed.

Label ailixingl y apparatus` embodying the principles of the invention and employing gripping devices for gripping the ends of the containers successively and rotating the f2 y v 1,295,016

containers while they are so gripped, and a pressure roller pressing the label upon the container over portions ofthe container lying in different planes, may be constructed in various ways differing considerably one of Fig..3;

. employed.

Fig. 5V is a-horizontalV section through the container andvr pressure roller; andk .,Fig, 6v isxa detail Aview of one of the cams The form of, container upon whichlthe in- `r vention isvdesigned to operate `is one which is of cylindrical Vform and whose cylindrical ,surface has slight 'rises therein formed by the flanges of end caps which extend over the ends of kthe tube forming the body of the container. Such a container is indicated in certain. of the figures of the drawings, Inoreparticularly Fig. 5.. Referring to that figure, kthe body of the container consistsof a tube 6 of cardboard which may be formed from a strip wound spirally. To close the joints between `adjacent spirals a lining of light paper may be provided as is shown at 3. The ends of the tube consisting of the parts 6 and 3. are closed'by end caps 5 which are circular pieces ofl paper having integral flanges 4 whichfit snugly over theendsof the tube 6. Y It will be noted that the cylindricalsurfaceof the container rises from that of the. tube 6 at the ends of the container where the flanges 4 of the end caps'overlap the ends of the tube. The label which is applied to the container by the machine constituting this. invention, shown at 2. 'It will. belloted-thatV atV its lateralY edgesfthislabel overlaps the vflanges 4 of theend caps 5 asis indicated at 1, and it is 4essential,that the; labels Ydo so overlap the `flanges of ythe end caps to adequately protect the contents of the container. Y

Referring new to thev construction illustrated,the f machine includes'a base 7 upon which rollers 8 and 9 are mounted to. receive and guide an-en'dless belt 10. VThe belt is preferably provided ywith two series of spacedholes adapted to co-act with vteeth on VVthe rollers Sand 9 las shown in Fig. 3. The

e beltifsfadvanced intermittently byjpower which mayibetransrnitted toa driving pulflieyV 1'1by belt, 12. lThis; pulley is sho-wn as `securedtfo ,a-'sleevie 13, which is loosefupon the fshaft1l4 of the rollerY YThe sleeve 13 car- Vand this is operated by the cam 25.

ries a pinion 15 which meshes with a gear 16 mounted on a shaft 17 extending across the machine and mounted in bearings secured upon the base plate 7. The shaft 17 also carries a gear 18 meshing with pinion 19 on the shaft 14, the gear and pinion 18 and 19 being of the Geneva type as indicated in Fig. 2. By this mechanism, the shaft 17 is driven continuously by the pulley 11 through the gears 15 and 16, and through the gears 18 and 19 imparts an intermittent rotational movement to the shaft 14 carrying the roller 8, thereby giving the belt 10 a step by step movement, the steps occurring at regul-ar intervals and being of the same length.

Secured on the shaft 17 adjacent to the gears 16 and 18 are two cams 20 each of which receives a roller mounted on the end "of a lever 21 which is pivotally mounted in a standard 37 rising from the base 7. The shaft 17 also carries two pulleys 22 on which belts 23 run. adjacent tol these pulleys the shaft 17 caries two cams 24 and 25, the outlines of these cams being shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and the cam 24 beingshown soparately in Fig. 6. The cam 24 is employed for positioning the pressure roller. This roller -is shown at 26 and its peripheral portion is of a soft material which will readily yield. The roller 26 is carried by arms 27 (Fig. 4) formed integral with a tubular shaft 28 adapted to rock upon a supporting shaft 29 which extends between standards 30 rising from the base 7. The tubular shaft 28 has a depending arm 31 to which a rod 32, adjustable as to its length, is pivotally connected as shown in Fig. 3. The end of this rod is bifurcated and straddles the shaft 17. Also the rod carries a roller which is adapted to travel in the cam groove of the cam 24.

The containers are fed successively into :1 position in'nnediately in front of the pressure roller 26 and they should be retained in this position until they have been gripped by the devices by which they are held and rotated during the label-applying operation. A retaining device is therefore provided The retainer is shown at 33; it consists of an arc-shaped arm which is adapted to be proj'ected and withdrawn through any one of a series of holes in the endless belt 10. One of these holes is in position to receive the retainer 33 at the end of each step movement of the belt 10. The retainer 33 is carried by an arm 34 on a sleeve 35 which is adapted to rock upon a shaft 36 supported :by standards 37 on the base 7 at opposite `When a container has been supplied in the position shown in Fig. 3, it is gripped at its ends by a pair of chucks. The construction of these chucks is indicated in Fig. 5. Each consists of a cup-shaped member 40 carried upon the end of a short shaft 41 which is adapted to rotate in bearings formed in one of the standards 30. On each shaft 41 is a disk 42 having a circumferential groove adapted to receive a roller on the end of one of the levers 21 pivoted on standards 37. Each of the cups 40 is also provided with a circumferential groove forming a pulley to receive one of the belts 23 by which the chuck is rotated. VVit-hin each one of the cups 40 is a disk 43 which is pressed outwardly within the cup by springs 44, its outward movement being limited by a headed stud 45.

The containers are supplied successively from a chute or boX 46 located above the machine. The feed of the containers from this chute successively is effected automatically. For this purpose the arm 38 actuated by the cam 25 is provided with an upwardlyex tending arm 47 (Fig. 2) pivotally connected to one end of a rod 48 whose opposite end is supported by a roller 49 pivoted on a supporting frame 50 rising from the standards 30. This rod has rack teeth formed thereon as shown meshingwith the teeth of a gear 5l which is secured to one end of a feeder 52. This feeder is pivotally mounted upon the frame 50 and is adapted to be rocked back and forth between the positions in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The feeder 52 may be provided with a pair of yielding spring-pressed buffers 53 as shown in Fig. 3. As is shown in the drawings, thc inner surface of the feeder ,is curved to correspond with the curvature of the containers, and when the feeder is in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 it holds the containers in the chute 46 by the co-action of this curved surface with the lowest one of the containers. When `the feeder moves from the position shown 1n Fig. 2 to that shownin Fig. 3, the container held by the feeder is dropped and the feeder moves under the one directly above; as the feeder moves back, the container shown as resting upon the feeder in Fig. 3 passes down to the position formerly occupied by the container which was dropped.

The arms 27 by which the pressure roller 26 is carried may have a roller 54 mounted thereon' for supporting the belt 10 close to the point at which the belt co-acts with the container held by the V'gripping chucks.

The operation of the mechanism con structed as above described will now be in` dicated. y

The driving mechanism ofthe machine operates to move the endless belt or carrier 10 step by step;` This carrier, particularly the portion in advance ofthe pressure roller 26, may be of considerable length and may pass in coaction with various other mecha nisrns not illustrated in the drawing.

An automatic sheet feeding mechanism may be employed for feeding the labels successively and positioning them properly upon the belt 10. Also the belt may carry the labels into coaction with a suitable pasteapplying mechanism by which an adhesive is applied over the surface of the label. When the belt comes to rest at the end of each step movement the forward edge of one of the labels project under the pressure roller 26 and is closely adjacent to a container in the label-applying position.

With the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2, the sleeve 35 with its arms 38, 34 and 47 is operated by the cam 25 on the power shaft to raise the detent 33 and atthe same time release a container and allow it to drop upon the belt 10. It will be noted that as the detent 33 moves up, the rod 43 attached to the arm 47 moves to the lef-t in Fig. 3, thereby effecting the release of the container which had been held by the escapement device 52 and at `the same time holding the other containers in the receptacle from downward movement. The detent 33 passes through a hole in the belt 10,` such holes being provided to receive the detent in all of the positions of rest of the belt. 'This condition of the parts isillustrated in Fig. 3. Immediately after the container has been depositedon the belt inthis way and is held thereon between the pressure roller 26 and the detent 33, the two chucks are moved toward each other by the levers 21 actuated by the cams 20 on the shaft 17. These chucks move to engage the ends of the container, the disks 43 of the chucks yielding somewhat against the tension of their springs so that the ends ofthe container are received within the cups of the chucks as is indicated in Fig. 5. Immediately thereafter the sleeve 35 with its attached farms is moved by spring 39 and cam 25 to retract the detent 33 to its lower positionand at the saine time move the escapement 52 from the Fig. 3 to the Fig. 2 position; the detent 33 isno longer needed because of the Vfact that the container is held by the chucks. At the same time or immediately "thereafter, the pressure roller 26 is moved into contact with the container held by the chucks. It will be noted, particularly from Fig. 6, that the cam 24 which positions t e pressure roller, has a portion 55 which is curved about the axis of the cam, two otherportions 56 and 57 curved about that axis but ofless radius and a projection 58. The portion 56"of the cam is in coaction with the roller on the rod when the container is dropped bythe escapement and gripped by the chucks. Im-

mediately after the container is so gripped,`

the portion of the cam comes into coaction with the roller on the rod 32 thereby causing the pressure roller to be moved slightly about the axis of its supporting shaft 29 in a directionlto carry the roller into contactwith the cont-ainer held by the chucks. The surface of the pressure roller is made of some yielding material so that when the pressure roller is moved up in this Way it is pressed into Contact With theV container hard enough to cause the material of the pressure roller to make contact with portions of the container lying between slight projections thereof. It Will be noted that the chucks are continuously rotated by the belts 23 running on the pulleys 22 on shaft 17 and the pulleys formed On the chucks. Therefore, as soon as the chucks grip the ends of the container, the latter is rotated. Also, immediately after the rotation YV0f ythe container begins, the belt or carrier 10 is moved along one stepV bythe 'intermittent driving mechanism. This .movement of the belt carries the label thereon into contact with t-lie container and the belt moves -at aspeed equal to the peripheral speed Vof rotation ofthe containeinheld by thechucks. The pasted side ofthe label being uppermost, the label is taken upl from the belt or carrier bythe container and is Wound upon the container. The provision ofthe supporting roller 54 immediately under the belt 10 and adjacent tothe container held by thechucks, assists in applying the label to the container.Y This roller prevents the vbelt from', yieldingV to any substantial extent; Vit may even be so positioned as to raise the belt 10 slightly at apoint immediately to the right of the container heldY by the chucks. After the label is carried around the major portion ofvtheisurface ofthe container, it comes into contact with the pressure roller and the latter presses the label upon the. surface of the container. Since the soft surfaceof the pressure roller assumes a shape corresponding to the shapevpresented by the container-,the label is pressed into contact j With'the container overY the Whole surface thereof, including theflianges of the end caps 'and also the cylindrical surface of the tube lyingvbetiveen the end caps After the label has vbeenrapplied to the container in this manner, the pressure roller is Withdrawn .from hard contact With thecontainer by theportion 57 of cam 2 4 comingl into coaction With, the roller .on rod 32, thus re4 tracting the pressure roller slightly.. Then the chucks are moved apart' releasing the container. An'automatic discharging deviceof ,any suitablecharacter is then brought into actionto reiiiovejthe.labeledV container.V The pressureroller may be v employed lfor-thispurpose by providing the projection 15,8 upont the cam-24. Immedr Y f ately-aftei the Vcontainer has 'been released by the chucks this projection on the cam gives the pressure roller 2G a quick forward and return movement causing it to deliver a blow upon the labeled container Which forces the container from the labeling position. The operation above described is then repeated, the complete cycle consisting of moving the escapement 52 to release a container, raising the detent 33, moving the rotating chucks to grip a container, lowering the detcnt i3. returning the escapeinent 52, moving the pressure roller 2G into engagement with the container held by the chucks,` moving the belt resulting in the application of the pasted label to the container, retracting the pressure roller, moving the chucks apart to release the container and discharging the labeled container by a quick movement ofthe pressure roller.

llVe claim:

1. Label affixing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for pasted labels, a pair of grippers mounted close to the carrier at a point intermediate the ends thereof, means for supplying containers successively to the grippers and causing the grippers to grip each container, means for rotating the grippers and the container held thereby with the container in contact with the carrier and for simultaneously advancing the carrier at a speed corresponding to the surface speed of the container so that the container takes up a pasted label from the carrier, and a pressure roller Which `is held in contact with the container as the latter is rotated by the rotating grippers.

2. Label allixing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for pasted labels, a pair of grippers mounted close to the carrier at a point intermediate the ends thereof, means for supplyingv containers successively to the grippers and causing them to grip each container, means for rotating the grippers and the container held thereby and for simultaneously advancing the carrier at a speed corresponding tothe surface speed of the container, means for sustaining the carrier as it is advanced-to insure contact of the container rotated by the grippers With a pasted label on the carrier, and a pressure roller which is held in contact with the container rotated by the grippers as it is rotated.

3. Label aiiixing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for pasted labels, a pair of grippers mounted close to the carrier at a point intermediate the ends thereof, means forsupplying containers successively to the grippers, means for causing said grippers to grip each container, means for advancing the carrier periodically, means for rotating the grippers and the container held: thereby With the container in contact with the carrier as the latter is advanced so Ythat the container takes up =a pasted labeln from the carrier, a pressure roller having a yielding surface and means for moving the pressure roller toward and away from the container held by the gripers.

4. Labelaliixing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for pasted labels disposed substantially horizontal, a receptacle for containers located above the carrier, feeding means for discharging containers successively from the receptacle and allowing them to drop by gravity upon the carrier, a pair or grippers located close to the carrier and intermediate of the length thereof, means for moving the grippers to cause them to grip a container dropped upon the carrier, means for rotating the grippers and the container held thereby with the container in contact with the carrier and for simultaneously advancing the carrier at a speed corresponding to the surface speed of the container, and apressure roller having a yielding surface which is held in contact with the-container as the latter is rotated by the grippers.

5. Label aiiixing apparatus comprising the combination of an endless carrier for pasted labels disposed substantially horizontal, a pressing mem-ber mounted above the carrier intermediate the ends of the length thereof, a detent device movable into and out of a position above the carrier opposite the pressing member, means for delivering containers successively to a position upon the carrier between the pressing member and the detent device, a pair of grippers movable to grip a container so fed, means i'or moving the` carrier and means for rotatingthe grlppers' and the container held thereby with the contain Axr in contact with the carrier so that the container takes up a pasted label from the carrier and the label is pressed upon the container by said pressing member.

6. Label atlixing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for pasted labels, a pair of grippers for gripping a container, means for supplying containers successively to the grippers and causing them to grip each container, means for rotating the grippers and the container held thereby with the container in contact with a pasted label on the carrier so that the container takes up the label from the carrier, a pressing member opposite the container held byA the grippers, means for moving the pressing member toward and away from the container and means for causing the grippers to rele-ase the container and for simultaneously moving the pressing member to deliver a blow upon the container to discharge it from the label aiiixing position.

7. Label aliixing apparatus comprising the combination of a carrier for pasted labels, a pressing member mounted above the carrier, a detent device movable into and out of a position above the carrier opposite the pressing member, means for delivering containers successively to a position upon the carrier between the pressing member and the detent device, a pair of grippers movable to grip a container so fed, means for rotating the grippers and the container held thereby and means for simultaneously moving the carrier so that the container rotated by the grippers takes up a pasted label from the carrier.

S. Label aliixing apparatus comprising the combination of means :tor gripping the ends of a container and rotating the container, means for supplying a pasted label to the container, a pressure roller having a yielding surface, means for holding the pressure roller in contact with a container to press a label upon the container, means vfor releasing the container, and means for operating the pressure roller to deliver a blow upon the container and thereby eil'ect its discharge when it is released by the ripping means.

9. Label Xing apparatus comprising the combination of a movable carrier for labels, a receptacle for containers, means for dropping containers successively upon the carrier1 a detent for positioning the containers so dropped, means for moving the detent into and out of its operativeposition, means for gripping a container which has been dropped upon the carrier and rotating that container in correspondence with the movement of the carrier, a pressure roller and means for holding the pressure roller in contact with a container while the container is being rotated to press a label upon the surface oit' the container.

l0. Label aiiixing apparatus comprising the combination of an endless carrier, means for `moving the carrier step by step, automatic feeding mechanism for feeding containers successively to a position on the carrier, a detent movable into and out of a position for retaining a container in position upon the carrier, a pair of chucks movable toward and away from each other to grip a container lying upon the carrier, means for rotating the chucks, and a pressure roller having a yielding surface movable into and out of engag-ement with a container held by the chucks to press a label upon the surface of the container.

In testimony whereof, we aiix our signatures.

` HENRY KEYES EASTMAN.

CHARLES GENTEL.

*Genies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. tl. 

